What a sssurvivor! Giant python Jodie Foster is cancer-free after pioneering treatment

LONDON, Aug 21 — Chester Zoo in northwest England celebrated the recovery of a giant python named after Hollywood star Jodie Foster, who had become the first snake to undergo a pioneering cancer treatment. The 4.5 meter reticulated python, nicknamed Jodie, first received surgery to remove a malignant tumour from her jawbone, but the tumour returned, necessitating electrochemotherapy (ECT) for treatment.

This innovative therapy combines the use of cancer drug bleomycin with electrical pulses to make cancer cells more receptive to the drug. Chester Zoo vet Ian Ashpole worked alongside University of Liverpool cancer specialists to modify the treatment for a snake, marking the first time it has been used in one. Zookeepers noticed Jodie's declining health and activity, confirming a tumour in her jaw through tests.

After two surgeries and ECT, Jodie is now cancer-free, eating normally and showing her usual 'bright and feisty' demeanor. Jose Alvarez Picornell from Liverpool University praised the successful collaboration between the veterinary team and cancer specialists, emphasizing the potential for other veterinary professionals to benefit from this approach.